Comments from our petitioners

Here are comments people have submitted while signing the online version of the petition.
It’s useful to note that in British Columbia the shoreline up to the high tide mark is public property. Only small portion of each dock would connect with private property.

Eric Steffensen: I visit Cape Roger Curtis often and do enjoy the natural state of the point and the land around it. I am surprised that a private dock would be allowed by the government along this shoreline.

Mark Vanderbyl: As a private yacht captain I have cruised past Cape Roger Curtis many times and appreciated the natural beauty, as have my guests. Large docks and private piers of this nature are clearly not in the interest of the environment nor the general public’s interest. They are only in the interest of a very select, small handful of people. I find it interesting that it appears that these foreshore leases were granted with very little, if any, public discussions.

Tanis Layzell: Please do not ruin the last pristine beaches with docks that will be an eyesore and boats will bring noise, oil slicks, fumes, and holding tanks with no seals or close by pump out station. I swim far out in these secluded beautiful beaches and want my grandson to be able to enjoy the same years from now.

Earl Jenkins: Pro-development but against the docks.

Hinda Avery: In the public interest, please stop the construction of the docks on Bowen Island.

John Allan Davies: Sheer horror. Is nothing sacred.

Neil H. Talbot: As a visitor to Bowen Island I cherish its rugged pristine landscape in the grand setting of Howe Sound, and deplore the construction of industrial-scale docks there.

Katharine Steig: All of Cape Roger Curtis should have been protected decades ago. Its waterfront should at least be protected to the greatest degree possible.

Gordon Reid: Cape Roger Curtis was the last unsubdivided piece of property of this size, with this length of coastline, on the east side of Georgia Strait from the U. S. border to Lund. It was unfortunate that a large section of it couldn’t be saved for park. Now that it has been subdivided and will be developed – the very least we can do is to keep the publicly owned foreshore clear of docks and maintained in a pristine and natural condition as is the policy in other high valued and more progressive communities.

Sue Hetherington: I think that these docks are going to spoil an extremely beautiful coastline that has no match on our island.

Sarah Bennett Fox: This is a very special piece of coastline. Let’s not wreck it with long docks. It would be amazing if Edwin Lee and Don Ho voluntarily choose to keep this coastline as it is now. They will be heroes of the community!

Thank you Edwin Lee and Don Ho for thinking carefully about this.

Georgina Farah: This particular coastline is very unique and must be preserved. The docks are enormous and completely out of proportion for such a sensitive habitat.

Jim Taylor: No no no. We are not a cruise ship destination, for heavens sake.

Richard Helm: These docks are massive – totally out of scale of other private docks built on Bowen over the years. These approvals by all levels of government do not reflect the public interest in this unique landscape – the Northern entrance way to Vancouver Harbour. This is a very rugged coastline of tidal pools and heavy seas – not appropriate for private docks.

Tony Bosely: If only 4 rich guys can make a decision that will forever mar the landscape, without any requirement for approval from the Bowen Island community itself, then something is terribly wrong with our system. That alone is reason enough to halt this project immediately.

Rob Knight: Can we appeal the BC foreshore lease to he BC Environmental Appeal Board?(A: we are looking into that)

Lisa James: Surely the docks can’t be necessary… their length and location are very questionable.

Peter Kearney: Perhaps one communal dock for the Cape would be a workable compromise?

Jan Srivastava: Surely it is not necessary to build so many, and so large docks. I wonder why people who want to sell the beauty of this location would begin by changing it so drastically????

Carolyn Peters: I visit this area once per week and am surprised that the plans for the docks (I can see the footings being installed in the beach) cut each beach literally in half and will definitely restrict us visiting the tide pools and rock areas. We feel personally offended by the “private” signs everywhere as we have paid taxes on this Island for 14 years. The shore line and beaches as far as I know, are supposed to be for all to enjoy. Why doesn’t the municipality pick one dock area and make it private on one side and public on the other. Do not allow any other docks to be built. Also install a free boat launch for all of us as Bowen is lacking this. If one dock were build it would serve all of Bowen and leave the rest of the shore line undisturbed. Please also remove the “Private”signs right away. Also when the trees that were planted along the path grow larger it will stop the view in some areas. Please remove these trees as well. I also noticed that there are 2 dead baby deer on the shorline bluff. I realize that every year this happens due to the cold, but this winter was not cold. Did the mother abandon their babies due to all the construction?

David Demner: It’s unbelievable that this would be allowed. We need to stop it.

Mike Adams: I grew up around Roger Curtis in Tunstall bay. As a kid we would venture out onto teh beaches and explore the tidal pools and the light house. The dock project will undoubtedly spoil this opportunity for others to enjoy. By creating this exclusive enclave we are limiting access and the enjoyment of the environment for others. These structures will create an eyesore on a beautiful coastline. Stop the docks!

Greg Pollard: Good Luck… The government has left us “hanging” !

Samantha Knowles: How can we have a connection or relationship to our natural world and environment if we are constantly trying to change, dominate or manipulate it. Some areas need to stay wild and free… this is definitely one of them.

Issac Fox: I’ve grown up visiting my grandparents on Bowen Island. I’d like, for their sake and for the sake of all the islanders, to keep Bowen as peaceful as it has always been. It would be a shame to ruin the tranquility of the island and I vehemently oppose the construction of docks that will endanger coastal habitats.

Jane Kokolakis: I spent my summers on Bowen Island and my sister lives there permanently.Roger Curtis is one of the most beautiful place to walk,picnic,and camp. It would be terrible to destroy that beauty.

Jeremy Bally: I grew up here. I camped here. I love this place. This is not an appropriate way to use this space, nor is any way aside from leaving it in its pristine natural state. Leave it alone.

Stewart Marshall: As a relatively new Bowen Islander I find (about 2 years) the Cape Roger Curtis story astounding. Astounding and appalling.

Jess Marshall: This is a totally unnecessary development, which will only serve to benefit the owners in selling the lots in a suppressed market.

We are beginning to think council want Bowen Island to become just another generic suburb of Vancouver – think Port Moody. Housing developments with trees, and little else to sustain the soul.

The poor folks on Whitesails, who have to endure all the trucks ruining what was once a peaceful street.

We’re fearful for Bowen’s future, this development will only benefit the owners of CRC and their clients and do severe damage to the environment.

Sad times for Bowen.

Andrea Klann: Stop the docks AND the clearcutting NOW!!!

Jean Stewart: Stop the huge docks at Cape Roger Curtis. Bowen Island should be preserved for the peoples’ enjoyment, not for commercial use.

Beverly Thomson: I fully agree that public areas need to be protected for the public good. It’s a principle BCers share.

Kim DeSante: don’t spoil a beautiful place

Chris Oben: Edwin Lee and Don Ho,
Please help preserve the natural state of the marine environment at Cape Roger Curtis by stopping construction of private docks on public waterfront immediately.
Sincerely, Chris Oben

Val Geddes: The planned docks are for the benefit of a few individual families, to the marked detriment of the beauty and biology of this magnificent area.
Council should act immediately to halt work on the docks. It should then reassess its position and find a solution.
In my opinion, Council inaction so far in preventing this degradation of the shoreline is deplorable.

Anonymous: Me and my family LOVE this area. My grandparents live here and love it and now my three year old, Maxwell has fallen in love with it. This property will be in our family for generations. Please don’t build a dock here!!!

Adam Morton: the docks are so unpopular they will make it hard for people buying properties in CRC to have friendly relations with others on the island.

June Banwell: Have led many hikes for the North Shore Hikers on Bowen Island along the coast to the lighthouse area. It is so beautiful – it would be a travesty to even think of docks being placed there. It was bad enough to have a concrete road put there. Please leave this area as it is now, so that we may still enjoy its natural beauty.

Court Brousson: too large, too many

Claire Stewart: As someone who has enjoyed hiking around the shores of Roger Curtis for more than 20 years, I am horrified to think that this piece of Bowen could all become private and off limits to the public. And, the whole thing was done in such a sneaky and sleazy manner. I rather thought, judging by the size of the project, that BCF was opening a west side terminal. It’s appalling.

Brent Ehrl: Cape Roger Curtis Waterfront should
be left in it’s natural state!

Wynn Nielsen: These giant docks, if they go ahead, will set an unwelcome precedent for CRC and for the island. They compromise a vulnerable marine “nursery” for Howe Sound, they will obliterate the Natural Beauty of the small bays and area, make it difficult, if not impossible, for the public to access and enjoy the public beaches. If even more property owners want private moorage over time the proliferation of docks in that small point of land will likely create, in practical terms, a large private marina. Not the vision and certainly not the promise given by the developers to respect the unique and sensitive environment and islanders feelings and long standing relationship with the Cape.

Philip Carlington: The title of the petition says it all for me!

Richard Wiefelspuett: “Stop the docks” makes sense, i.e. common sense! Why should the common interest of the greater public be sacrificed over the interest of four private owners? Why should irreplaceable and unique nature be allowed to be destroyed? Which council would be blunt and mad enough to disenchant the population it was elected to represent and support the interests of four private investors instead? Which council would sit back and do nothing but to declare the case closed? This has “Conflict of Interest” written all over it and deserves the toughest of public scrutiny!

Jason White: This should not be allowed. Lets show some leadership and foresight, not greediness and mismanagement.

Amanda Ockeloen: Don’t ruin our shared beautiful coastline!

Betty Morton: I think that both the docks and the hedgerow are infringements on the intention of agreements made for public amenities at Cape Roger Curtis. These amenities were to protect the ecosystem and aesthetic beauty of the Cape as well as to provide public access. The structures and plantings need to be removed.

Anon: We are rural for heaven’s sakes
Let’s consider just how fortunate we are.
Please do not spoil our wonderful little island.

Sue Barr: I would like to have our current Municipal government looked into by a governing body as I have lost all confidence in its competency.

Andrew Delong: This is beautiful land which has incredible untouched views and lands. Keep it for our future generations to enjoy.

Kami Kanetsuka: Cape Roger Curtis is for everyone and although much of it has been developed, it is still necessary to at least save the shoreline for the benefit of all.

Lily Whitehead-Delong: I grew up on Bowen and always enjoyed walking along the beautiful shoreline of Cape Roger Curtis. I would like my future children to be able to experience the same.

Eric Davies: Bowen Island’s current pro-development-at-any-cost Municipal Council must be stopped.

Gillian Darling Kovanic: When the Lees and the Hos recognize the natural beauty and ecological values of Cape Roger Curtis on Bowen Island this will truly be a day to celebrate.

Sheila Roote aka Haggerstone: As a former Bowen Islander and frequent visitor I oppose these dock for several reasons: desecration of sensitive intertidal zone; visually disruptive to a beautiful landscape; incredibly impractical. This shoreline is subject to the full force of storms throughout the whole year. How on earth will these docks survive a storm of the magnitude that destroyed the forests of Stanley Park a few years ago? Bowen has wonderful protected docks in Snug Cove available for everyone, please use them.

Sarah Haggerstone: As a Bowener from childhood until the end of university I know how special this place is, and I know how the presence of docks (and the associated boats, chemicals and traffic) can change the character of a place forever.

Elizabeth Milward: I have family on Bowen and have visited the Cape a number of times. It is a beautiful spot, with somewhat different ecology from the rest of Bowen Island. I think it is worth preserving.

Norma McCarthy: Please, Bowen Council, at least TRY to turn this around. You may think it’s too late now, but maybe it’s not. Please, put aside the past and just try.

Carol Cram: Please don’t let a few destroy what the many so enjoy.

David Van Berckel: The Mayor and Council should be held responsible for dereliction of duty, for not expressing their professed opposition to the construction of the docks the the province of BC.

Malcolm Pitches: Keep our waterfront in its natural state strongly object to docks being built.

Doug Fleetham: These are docks that were being constructed prior to municipal review. The land has been a public beach and is being conscripted fro private use. The construction needs to stop.

Jayeson Hendyrsan: Seems like some kind of fishy happenings have been going on…… has there been proper due process?

Dennis Vetter: Please keep this iconic place in it’s pristine condition … it is simply a travesty to defile it with docks.

Irmi Hoppenrath: Yes, keep the waterfront in its natural state!

James West: Let’s have a referendum on encumbering public beach access with incompatible private marine facilities!!

Neil Dawe: We are totally against the docks at Cape Roger Curtis.

David Thomson: I sailed past Cape Roger Curtis last weekend, along with many other boats, and had an opportunity to imagine what this large infrastructure would look like. Visualizing four large docks sticking out up to 300 feet from shore was a deeply disturbing experience. It is one thing for a private land owner to build on their land – it is entirely another, and completely unacceptable, to take a highly visible and valuable public asset – the foreshore and the coastline – and destroy it for all future generations. What is even more troubling is the relative value of these docks. Anyone who knows this area knows it is buffeted by large winds and waves much of the time and will make using the dock a risky and unlikely proposition. If these docks are built they will be unusable much of the year but will be an awful visual blight, not to mention an ecological one, every day from now on. This inane project must not be allowed to proceed.

John C Poole: What is good for West Van – no shoreline docks – should be good for Bowen in its pristine environment.

Robert Semeniuk:
Such ignorance
Such mindlessness
Such insensitivity
Such narrow perspectives
These are Bowen Island Taliban

Chris Oben: This area is pristine waterfront that attracts both people and wildlife supporting and enhancing the quality of our lives. There are many other established options for docking vessels in Bowen Island waters. Cape Roger Curtis does not require additional infrastructure to accommodate personal vessels.

One thought on “Comments from our petitioners”

This looks like a great topic for CBC’s weekly news feature, “Go Public”. It’s just the sort of issue they take up and would help to increase the pressure on Council to do their job and prevent these docks being built. The website for “Go Public” is: